Stephanie Metzger/SMetzger@MorningJournal.com
Dr. Mark Wladecki holds a device used to perform Balloon Sinuplasty procedures, which alleviate severe sinus problems. He has been performing the procedures in his office for the past three months.

WESTLAKE — Millions of Americans suffer from sinus issues, but treatment doesn’t have to be invasive or costly.
Dr. Mark Wladecki, M.D., has treated patients plagued by sinus problems for years. His office, ENT Group of Cleveland, is located at 805 Columbia Road, Suite 111, Westlake.
During the past five years, the otolaryngologist has used Balloon Sinuplasty to relieve those who suffer from severe Sinusitis.
According to Wladecki, about 10 percent of the population suffers from Sinusitis. The condition affects the mucous membranes of the nose, sinuses and face. Medications and surgery have been the common treatments for Sinusitis, but the emergence of Balloon Sinuplasty might facilitate treatment for those suffering from severe sinus issues.
People with chronic sinus problems— those who have suffered Sinusitis symptoms for at least 12 weeks— are ideal candidates for the procedure.
Balloon Sinuplasty is regarded as a less invasive alternative to sinus surgery. The procedure can be completed in a doctor’s office and the projected recovery is quicker than traditional surgical methods, so patients can return to their everyday routines sooner than others taking the surgical route.
Wladecki is the sole physician in Cleveland’s west side area to routinely perform Balloon Sinuplasty procedures. He has performed the procedure for three months, though the process has been around for eight years.
Wladecki started performing the procedure in hospitals five years ago and has since treated about 125 people.
During the procedure, the nose is numbed before a catheter-like wire is inserted into the sinus. A tiny light, just thicker than a strand of hair, serves as a guide for the balloon. The balloon inflates to expand the sinus opening, leaving it open for relief.
Wladecki said he typically expands the balloon twice per procedure to ensure the sinus is opened. Patients might experience slight discomfort during the procedure, commonly described as pressure within the sinuses. The procedure can take anywhere from 30 minutes to an hour, depending on the number of sinuses opened and the anatomy of the patient’s nose.
The benefit of the procedure is its minimally invasive nature, Wladecki said. Patients avoid tissue damage and scarring because no cuts or incisions are made.
Wladecki said the procedure differs from older methods of sinus relief and that patients can ease apprehensions of missing work or other obligations.
“It’s not the same as the old days,” he said. “People scare people because of what happened 30 years ago. It’s much different today.”
Wladecki recalled one patient who underwent the procedure and boarded a flight for vacation with her boyfriend the next morning. The woman reported she had no problems regarding her sinuses during her trip, Wladecki said.
“Ninety percent of people don’t have to redo the procedure,” he added.
The effects of Balloon Sinuplasty are lasting. According to Wladecki, sinus openings remain expanded years after the procedure. In 94 percent of his patients, the sinus opening remained the same width three years later, Wladecki said.
Data provided by ENT Group of Cleveland states 95.2 percent of patients who underwent Balloon Sinuplasty saw an improvement in their sinus symptoms.
Another benefit of Balloon Sinuplasty is the cost, Wladecki said. As many Americans face an increase in health insurance, in-office Balloon Sinuplasty alleviates high hospital bills. Patients pay for anesthesia, equipment and nurses in a hospital. In Wladecki’s office, the balloon is the only cost.
“You’re trying to help people reduce some of the cost,” Wladecki said. “When you do it in the office, you’re looking at probably 20 to 30 percent of the cost.”
March is National Sinus Awareness Month. As millions of Americans suffer from sinus problems, Wladecki said he hopes to spread the word that relief is attainable.
For more information about Balloon Sinuplasty, contact Dr. Wladecki at 440-808-9469 or visit his website.